Guitar playing is an art that keeps growing day by day with practice. Finally, a time comes for the player to do something different and create a home guitar studio for beginners. Recording starts becoming a desire as you gain experience in playing the guitar.
The quest to have a home guitar studio develops, especially for beginners. A positive outcome that comes with having a home studio is that you will have an opportunity to listen to your stuff. You will know where you are getting it wrong and then develop measures that will help you improve.
Our work today is to make it simple for you to build your home guitar studio. Our beginner’s guide has all you need to have your studio.
Requirements for having a home guitar studio
There are various requirements that you need to put in place tomanage your home studio conveniently. Some are easily accessible and basic, while some are not basic but important to have. Some of them are as follows.
A computer
Recording needs a computer or laptop if you are to maintain quality. The process of recording is intensive, and small computers may not make the best models for use. By all means, you need to have a high-quality model that should have good potential too.
A good number of laptops and computers can handle minor tasks such as mixing and test recordings. However, you need a model that will deliver a better service as opposed to that basic one. Getting a computer that has a higher punch will enhance the quality of the outcome.
One of the factors that will hinder you from getting the best quality models is the budget. Therefore, it is essential to have a budget that will make you get a quality computer. A computer that serves the basics and offers the support of the software’s makes an ideal model.
Audio interface
Tiny homes need a high-quality audio interface. It provides room for the process of upscaling. The purpose of the audio interfaces is to provide room for transforming analog signals to digital ones that the DAW can recognize.
Audio interfaces connect the computer to the recording source using the USB cable. Some are so good that they can use thunderbolt, firewire or the PCI. Getting one is relatively simple because they are readily available in the markets and have different budgets.
It is essential to do some thorough assessment of the model you buy as many have a shaky quality. Your needs and the number of sources you intend to record determine the choice of the model. Some have one input, while the others have several.
Drums and other instruments are some of the devices that you may need to connect. It all depends on the outcome you want and the future projections. The basic thing you need to look at is the quality and the needs you want to place.
Studio monitors
Studio monitors are some of the things you need to look at because they give feedback for your work closely. A good monitor will deliver high-quality sound making the real outcome easy to trace. It depends on the purpose of recording, as some serve commercial purposes and some forhome use.
Good models make the sound feel good, which means that it fits all kinds of speakers. Getting high-end monitors can pose a challenge. The good news is that some are pocket friendly and will deliver the best quality.
Studio monitors have a variation depending on the size of drivers. There are drivers with 3″ to 8″ and even more. Getting the large drivers means having a louder sound which means that it may overwhelm the room. Small drivers, on the other hand, will not take care of future growth.
DAW
The DAWs do not have an unambiguous criterion on picking. Each industry has its pro tools that make the functionality standout. In addition, some of the big brands have a costly price that comes with the various plugins.
On the other hand, there are the basic ones that will make the work simple but may not have much support. An Ideal DAW should have the potential to support a good workflow. Of course, you can always have a trial version so that it helps you to make a sober decision.
The projects you intend to manage with the guitar are helpful in the choice of the DAW. One that provides an option to do the mixing of the audio channel makes the best choice.
Acoustics
The acoustics are essential if you have to enjoy balanced and exciting records. They help to minimize the annoyances. We have the soundproofing ones and those for room acoustics.
Soundproofing acoustics
Professional studios operate best in isolated rooms. They have little room to have the loud sound and high-volume spilling. So it becomes a challenge to be in an isolated area for a start, especially with home studios.
It becomes essential to install soundproof features. A rubber underlay or a heavy carpet makes a good choice. Some people will even opt to use duvets to cover the walls. The idea is to have both the wall and the floor having a soundproof cover.
The door should also be tight so that no noise penetrates out and even in from the outside environment. You can be sure that the sound you record is what the microphone captures.
Room treatment
Acoustic tiles and foam materials are most of the common materials for acoustic room treatment in studios. The purpose is to prevent reflection, especially during the mixing process. The areas that need treatment include the corners and other sharp points.
The sound becomes slightly dull, making the capturing of each detail better. You will not experience the frequency drop or a poor sound. Some people choose to have all the parts of the room under treatment. It is good to avoid tiles because they tend to cause more harm than good.
Signal processors
Another thing that makes a very important element in home studios is the hardware signal processors. They are essential because they help make the record you make have specific features such as reverb and compression.
They work hand in hand with the mixers hence ensuring that you can apply the various plugins. An excellent analog compressor is what many people choose to use in professional studios. Top mixers also use analog compressors.
The processors consume a lot of space and may not make the best for small room studios. You need one that is small or portable so that you move it from one point to another. It is worth having one, although they are expensive because they can serve specific needs.
Mixing desk
A mixing desk is essential because it provides room for the whole recording process to complete. The knobs and faders help in making the record you make have a different dimension and shift. The DAW programs are the ones that make the mixing process a success.
One that has the digital mixer makes the best and the ideal choice. The mixing desk is real when it has most of the components that will allow you to make the various effects. With the kind of flexibility, they have you will change the parameters and get the sound that you desire.
Third-party plugins
The DAW comes with various bundles of plugins that are pretty instrumental towards the professional development of the audio. For example, you will use analog and digital recreations to make the various reverb channels when mixing.
Most companies have plugin technologies that make the music mixing and balancing effective. The advancement that the top producers use various digital versions that make the workflow excellent and efficient.
Software-based instruments are also excellentbecause they help you to integrate the various options. If your provider does not have the options, you can choose to buy some for your use. You only need to ensure that you get those that match your needs and desires.
Headphones
Headphones are good because they help you to evaluate the sound that you play. Using headphones is helpful because you can quickly get the notes that are not getting the order and come up with a quick solution. They serve multiple roles, such as allowing the person recording to listen to any pre-recorded audio to help in managing the rhythm. Chances of having frequencies leaking get minimal with headphones.
Microphones
A microphone is one of the essentials you need to have a practical recording session. There is a variation in the microphones depending on the quality you need. Each model delivers according to the type of sound it picks and the features that control the various parameters.
Condenser microphones make the best options for guitar recording. They have a good characteristic that allows them to eliminate the background noise hence delivering immaculate sound. You can get different models depending on the amount of budget you have set aside.
Some are cost-friendly, while others come on a pricier end. You must ensure that you have one that has a quality make and less noise. One way to understand if the microphone is good or not is feeling how the sounds such as p and b get projected on the speakers.
Beginners can choose to have the various models that come at a low cost until they are can afford quality and high-end models.
Consideration when buying the studio equipment’s
There are several considerations that you need to give a close eye on when buying studio equipment. Most of them concern the room you are using and the purpose of the recording. Some of the basics that cut across include.
The budget
Most beginners do not have much budget when buying studio equipment. They, therefore, need to get the items that match their budgets. Unfortunately, the bad thing is that many pieces of equipment comes on low budgets but have substandard quality.
It is important to assess the quality of buying cost-friendly items. You need to have a wide range of assessments before you settle on one product.
The size of the room
The room can be large or small. If you have a large room, you can use the more significant products and if you have a small one you have to get small ones. Apart from that, you also need to ensure that the room you are using meets the standards of a studio.
One of the things you need to look at closely is acoustics. A good room should not in any way allow for sound penetration. It needs proper covering, and you can use cost-friendly methods to cover the room.
Location of the room
The location of the room you use for the studio matters a lot. Suppose it is located in the town or a noisy place you have to get acoustics. If it is located in a quiet place, then you are safe.
The tools you buy for a noisy place should be able to eliminate the background noise. The movement should be minimal too.
Purpose of the studio
Not every beginner who starts the studio needs to have learning sessions. Some people start studios so that they can make some outcome from it. Corporate studios will need equipment that has good quality and can deliver according to the needs of clients.
If you are beginning, you can think of future considerations and growth. The studio must meet the current and future needs.
Cost of making a guitar home studio
You have some concerns about the amount you need to have a home studio. Unfortunately, this question does not have a specific answer because of the variation in equipment prices. The modern age has a lot of components that come from various prices.
So long as you have a good speaker, microphones, computer and a guitar you are good to go. There are various software that you can use for recording ranging from free to pricy models. The other things come with the various criterion that you want to have the audio you record meeting.
The technology used for guitar recording can be slightly costly. However, you can use the various options available at various prices to ensure that you meet your needs. We have various studio designs that you can use as follows.
Budget studios
These are the cheap studios that are under the budget of $500. In this case, you need the guitar, computer and the recording interface. You will only record one thing at a time when you use this design.
Mid-range home studios
With a budget of between $500 and $2500, you can have a midrange studio. You will need a recording interface, guitar, computer and a mixer. You also can use additional microphones and other components to make the record maintain high standards.
The outcome you get from the studio is worthily releasing to the market because the quality is remarkable. Furthermore, upgrading it is pretty simple because you will only add a few components and then move.
High-end studios
If you have to get fun from recording, you need a high-end studio. The budget for such a studio can go to as high as $20,000. In addition, the records you get from this kind of studio is entirely professional. Therefore, you will need to have high-end equipment to get high-quality outcomes.
Determining the amount of cash you will spend for the studio is strongly dependent on the outcome you need to have. If the budget is strained, you need to ensure that you can buy what you can afford and then add the other equipment later.
Best studio set up combination
Some combinations promote the quality of sound you get and the ease of recording. You have to get a proper understanding of the setup that works for you. Below are some setups for various guitars.
Acoustic guitar
Two influential groups guide the recording of the acoustic guitar. First, you need a microphone to record the guitar and one for the vocals if you have to sing. Alternatively, you can record the guitar first and then record the guitar. Second, the elimination of background noise happens because of the pickups.
Electric guitars
The determinant for electric guitars is if you are recording the vocals or not. You need to know about electric guitars because they do not have sound; hence no need for a microphone. Instead, you will connect the guitars straight to the amplifier and add the pedal.
The rest of the setting happens because of the DAW setting. The audio interface does not work much because it only needs to work when recording audio. Therefore, you need to take caution with the inputs and outputs to meet the record’s objectives.
All-round guitarists
We also have people who use all types of guitars and will want to use them for recording. The setup, in this case, is slightly different. You will need to have the setup consideration covering the various aspects of the recording.
Various ports facilitate the recording of either the guitars or the microphones. A large audio interface is essential for such channels to work effectively. You can choose the low budget before you get into recording.,
Placement of the studio equipment
The placement of the studio equipment depends on the room size and design. You will need to place the computer in a manner that will facilitate effective use. You will then choose the best position for the placement of the mixer and the microphones. The essential thing is to have adequate space for the guitar use.
Conclusion
Setting up the home guitar studio is very simple. Using our beginners’ guide, you can acquire the various studio equipment and arrange them to meet the various needs. You need not to close your eye to have the right equipment and a good room for doing the recording. Managing the various input options is simple when you have a proper amplifier and mixer.
